Police use water cannons with ‘skunk’ to disperse protesters after violence erupts at Jerusalem anti-draft rally

Violent clashes break out between police and Haredi protesters in Jerusalem, during a demonstration against a landmark High Court ruling last week that ordered the government to begin calling up ultra-Orthodox men for military service.

Tens of thousands of men rallied this evening in the ultra-Orthodox neighborhood of Mea Shearim to protest the order. After nightfall, the crowd makes its way toward central Jerusalem and turns violent.

Water cannons filled with skunk-scented water and police mounted on horses are used to disperse the crowd. But as yet, the demonstration is not under control.

Police use a water cannon to disperse demonstrators during a protest against Haredi conscription to the IDF, in Jerusalem, June 30, 2024. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)

Many ultra-Orthodox Jews believe that military service is incompatible with their way of life and fear that those who do enlist will be secularized.

Earlier today, thousands of Haredim crowded a square and joined in mass prayers. Many held signs criticizing the government, with one saying, “Not even one male” should be drafted.